Essence of Time
by taylorcatherine
Summary: Lottie didn't expect this to happen. She couldn't even begin to understand how this happened. All she remembered was passing out in the turtleduck pond. For a girl who is always prepared for anything and everything, the Gods sure as Hell didn't prepare her for this. Thrown back in time to the reign of Fire Lord Ozai, how will she return to the life she so dearly missed?
1. Travels

**Hello loveys! I'm awful, I know. I've been gone for years! Some quick updates, I'm married now! yes, I've truly been gone for THAT FREAKING LONG. I have lots of new ideas for upcoming stories, and I PROMISE I WILL FINISH THE THREE THAT I ALREADY HAVE STARTED. I'm so upset they're left unfinished, but a few years ago I have like 10+ chapters written and then my computer took a massive shit on me, lost ALL OF THEM. I gave up after that. This story is going to be a long story, but only in a couple of chapters. HOPEFULLY less than five chapters, but a lot of words per chapter, so it may seem like a long story. I'm drawing inspiration from Avatar: The Last Airbender and two mangas I've read where a girl from the future gets pulled into the past, and you may have heard of them. One is Anatolia Story, the other is Ouke no Monshou. Both involve girls being thrown to the past, which is where I've drawn inspiration for this. That and I had the weirdest crossover dream last night! Soooo don't kill me, but this dream involves Firelord Ozai and an OC I've created. It sounds crazy, and none of you may like it but I'm really excited for this! Read the full summary here-**

 **Lottie didn't expect this to happen. She couldn't begin to even understand** _ **how**_ **this happened. All she remembered was passing out in the turtleduck pond. For a girl who is always prepared for anything and everything, the Gods sure as Hell didn't prepare her for this. Thrown back in time to the reign of Fire Lord Ozai, what is she to do? Her features are exotic for the time period, which means the Fire Lord wants her. But she certainly doesn't want him! How on Earth is she going to get back to her own time? To her best friend? And to the life she so dearly missed, in this chaotic world.**

 **~O.O~O.O~**

 _Modern Day: Year 2015, May 25th - Atlanta, GA_

 _The wind is blowing a lot more than yesterday...feels like there's a storm coming._

A young woman stared across the street at a bunch of trees, swaying heavily in the wind. Wondering how on earth they wouldn't snap in the middles from the wild gusts blowing around. Long blonde locks pulled back in a hair clip, loose tendrils blowing in her face constantly. A pair of blue eyes scanned the park, watching the small children without a care in the world, craving the same ignorance they possessed.

"Lottie? Lottie! Are you even listening to me?" Lottie's head snapped back to the woman sitting beside her, specifically her best friend Melanie, who was staring at her with a questioning look.

"I'm sorry, Mel, I wasn't paying attention. What did you say?" Lottie said with a bashful grin, having been caught ignoring the current conversation. Melanie rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I was asking if you're excited for our class trip next month! You know, the one with our history professor?" The realization dawned on Lottie's face, and she made an 'o' sound.

"I guess so. I don't think it's really worth the five grand it's costing me to go, though." Lottie sighed in annoyance, thinking about how much this trip was going to deplete her savings account. Melanie gave a toothy grin, before elbowing her friend and responding, "Oh come on pretty lady! You know it's going to be fun! Besides, if you even want to think about getting your PhD you HAVE to go on this trip!"

Lottie shrugged, not willing to admit that Melanie was right. This trip was a requirement for her to be able to get her PhD in history. She was 26 years old, with only one year left before she graduated. Once she had this trip done, her last year would be easy. Lottie looked at her best friend and gave her a small smile. "You're still going too, right? Last thing I want is to be stuck on this trip without my best friend!"

Melanie gave her a bright smile, stood up from her chair and pulled Lottie up with her, "Of course I'm still going! Do you know how great this is going to be?! Two whole weeks traveling around all the Elemental Territories! How could I not go with you?!"

Lottie laughed in response, staring at her raven-haired best friend, with the famous golden eyes. "I'm sure you're just excited to see the ancient Fire Nation capital, aren't you?" If Melanie's grin got any bigger, her head would burst.

"Why wouldn't I be excited to learn about my heritage? Maybe I'll meet some family while we're there!" Melanie continued pulling Lottie to the sleek black car waiting for them. Lottie shook her head and gave her best friend a relaxed smile before gesturing towards the car. "Well then, Princess, shall we get to our final class today?"

~O.O~O.O~

The final weeks leading up to the big class trip went by quickly, and before Lottie could stop to breathe, it was a day of their flight to the Elemental Territories, and Lottie and Melanie were in their house packing as frantically as possible.

"Mel, don't forget to pack the camera and charger! Oh, and don't forget your textbook!" Lottie shouted down the hall over the loud music coming from the living room. Melanie hollered back, assuring her that she heard, and Lottie resumed searching for her personal history books about all the famous cities they would be visiting. Tales of Ba Sing Se, North & South Pole Folklore, and a historic text about the Fire Nation Royal Lineage. She was most excited to visit the Fire Nation, seeing as her best friend was a royal descendant. In the states, bending the elements was strictly prohibited unless in a form of self-defense or under proper supervision by Master Benders. Anybody who disobeyed the laws would face severe consequences. Melanie was a fire bender, but she only was allowed to practice a few times per month. So this trip would be a good chance for her to hopefully meet a true master and practice with one, to better harness her abilities.

"Lottie! I think I'm all set, I sent Ralph to fetch the car, do you need any help?" Melanie walked into her room and grabbed the bag that was already zipped shut and waiting, while Lottie finished zipping up her last suitcase. Lottie thanked her, and together they grabbed the rest of their bags and went out the front door, making sure to lock everything. Quickly loading the car and climbing into the backseats, Melanie looked at Lottie with an excited grin on her face that was contagious.

"I'm so excited! In a few hours we're going to be landing in Ba Sing Se and we'll get to be around _real benders_!" Lottie laughed and agreed, searching through her carry-on bag for her bookon historic royals to read on the plane. Flipping to the dog-eared page, she was quickly consumed by the legends and family trees.

~O.O~O.O~

Their plane landed 13 hours later at Ba Sing Se International, and it was everything Lottie dreamed it would be and more. There were Earth benders _everywhere_ , she'd never seen so many in one place! And she knew there would only be more, once they left the airport and got to their hotel.

"Melanie! Please don't get lost, Princess! The last thing I need is your father calling me and interrogating me on how I misplaced you." Lottie gave Melanie a stern look, but Melanie merely stuck her tongue out and ran to catch up with Lottie and the rest of their history class. They followed their professor, Wang Phier, to the large bus outside waiting for them.

As they all piled in the cramped bus, Melanie grabbed Lottie's hand and pulled her down into the seat beside her, laughing at Lottie's distressed face as her bag fell and spilled the contents in the seat. Rolling her eyes, she cleaned it up and threw it back in her bag. With everybody seated, the bus slowly started to roll forward.

They'd been riding for almost an hour when Melanie finally spoke.

"Hey, Lottie?" Lottie hummed a response, her nose in her book yet again, waiting for Melanie to continue speaking, "Do you think we'll get to actually tour the Fire Nation palace next week?" Lottie closed her book and looked up.

"Of course, Professor Phier already scheduled the class tour. Why on earth wouldn't we go?" She gave Melanie an incredulous look, clearly confused by the question.

"It's just that, what if somebody recognizes me as a royal descendant before we can get there and it gets too crazy and we have to leave? Papa will freak out, and I'll never be able to leave Atlanta again, let alone the country!" Lottie sighed at her friend, understanding her panic. While firebending was still a common trait, Fire Nation royalty was a rarity. A majority of the royal family died off after Firelord Zuko lost both his children to plague. Legends wrote that he never truly recovered, and that any descendants now were from an unknown origin.

"Mel, don't worry about it, we'll be too busy for anybody to even notice! And most people don't recognize the royal traits anymore, anyways. I wouldn't be worried until we actually get into the palace. Once we see those court paintings, I'm sure people will start to freak out. But until then, please try not to worry about it okay? Just remember how much fun we're going to have!" Lottie gave her arm a reassuring squeeze, and Melanie's face relaxed, and she gave her a small smile before turning back in her seat and putting in her earphones. Lottie turned towards the window and noticed all the earthbenders practicing, building, playing...and she found herself wishing she had been born a bender like her best friend.

To be able to express herself in such a magical way, and be apart of some form of culture...Lottie released a heavy sigh, once again returning to her book.

~O.O~O.O~

 _Eight days later_

"AH LOTTIE I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO THE FIRE NATION CAPITAL AND THE PALACE TODAY!" Melanie came charging into Lottie's room, jumping onto her bed and landing smack-dab on Lottie's stomach, effectively waking her with a string of curses.

"OW! Melanie, what the hell?! I'm trying to sleep!" Lottie let out a huff and pulled the blankets up over her head, while trying to push Melanie off of her bed with her feet. Melanie crawled off the side, stood up and glared at the bed. Then, in one swift motion, yanked the covers off causing her to screech at the sudden draft.

"You need to get up! Professor Phier wanted all the students in the lobby, ready to go by nine! And it's eight o'clock now! GET UP!" Lottie groaned, slowly climbing out of the bed and grabbing her bathroom stuff to get ready. Climbing in the shower, she let the hot water work out the kinks in her tired muscles, savoring the heat and the feel of the water on her skin. Washing up as quickly as she could, she stepped out and wrapped herself in a towel, heading towards her suitcase to find an outfit, only to see that Melanie had laid one out for her already.

"Really, Mel? Don't you think I'd be more comfortable in my sneakers and shorts?!" Lottie could her Melanie's laughter coming from the other room, which basically meant to wear it and deal with it. Giving in, she pulled on the patterned sundress and strappy sandals, afterwards wrapping her hair in a towel to get it semi-dried. Glancing at the clock, she saw she had 20 minutes left. Deciding against makeup, she put her hair in a bun and told Melanie she was ready. Giving her a once-over, Melanie glared at the bun on top of her head, to which Lottie simply shrugged and glared back, "Don't give me that look! I'm wearing the stupid dress, aren't I?"

Melanie stuck out her tongue, as per usual, and grabbed her camera before running for the door, her eyes sparkling with excitement like a child on Christmas. When they walked outside, Lottie noticed the clouds looked extremely dark. _Is it really going to storm today? Feels like a bad one too..._ Glancing at her best friend, she noticed Melanie didn't seem to care about the weather, but rather was more focused on getting into the bus as quickly as possible.

A short time later, they were parking in front of the Fire Nation Palace and slowly stepping out onto the old stone path. Melanie took Lottie's hand and started pulling her to the front of the class so they could hear Professor Phier talk.

"Alright guys, we're going to be splitting up into two groups today. Half of you will be going to wander the capital with me and one of the tour guides, and the other half will get to go on the tour of the palace. After an hour, we'll switch and then we'll have lunch. Sound good?" There was a chorus of yes', "Very good! Now, let's see who will go-Okay! This half, to the palace, and the rest of you follow me!" Melanie looked at Lottie with the biggest grin on her face.

"We get to see the palace first! And since it's so early it probably won't be packed with tourists!" Lottie tried to match her excitement, but Melanie was hard to beat. "Well let's go!" Melanie exclaimed, pulling her best friend towards to entrance of the palace. She managed one last glance at the rumbling sky before going inside.

"Welcome to the Fire Nation's royal palace!" An older woman said, grabbing the attention of all the students, "My name is Maya, and I'll be your tour guide today. We ask that you please respect all antiques and historical artifacts while in the palace, and only take pictures after I say you may. Any questions?" She paused, but when nobody said anything she continued, "Alright then! Let's begin. We'll start off our tour in the Hall of Royalty. Can anybody tell me what that is?" Lottie quickly threw her arm up, "Yes, you dear. Do you kn-oh my!" Maya stopped, staring at Lottie for a moment. When Lottie gave the tour guide a questioning look, she quickly snapped out of her daze. "Oh excuse me, as I was saying. Do you know the answer?" Lottie quickly nodded before responding.

"The Hall of Royalty is a large hall that holds all the court paintings of the previous Fire Lords and their families. And the last one to be painted was Fire Lord Zuko." Maya nodded at her answer, agreeing with everything she had said.

"Yes, that's correct. The Fire Lords' portraits have been hanging in this grand hall for many centuries. And while it's true that Fire Lord Zuko's portrait was the last to be painted, he wasn't the last Fire Lord. Does anybody know who became the next one?" Nobody, including Lottie, raised their hands, "I'll give you a hint, they're portrait was already painted," still no answers, "It was Fire Lord Ozai. Which may come as a surprise, considering how devious and vengeful he was when was the Fire Lord before his son. But there are legends that say there was a woman who managed to help him change his ways. The legend says she was exotic, that she had hair the color of golden hay and eyes as beautiful as the sky and sea. Nobody knows of her origins, or what became of her, but everybody in the Fire Nation knows of her story, and her sacrifices to Agni to save the nation in it's most desperate times."

Lottie looked at their tour guide with an extremely confused expression, and then looked at Melanie, whose face matched hers in befuddlement.

"Excuse me, Miss Maya?" Melanie asked while raising her hand. When she responded, Melanie asked, "Why isn't there any historic evidence of this woman in any of our textbooks? Are there any portraits of her in the palace?" Maya looked slightly torn about responding.

"There is only one portrait of her, but we keep it in a secret room with high security. It's the most important piece in the Fire Nation, so we must keep it protected at all costs. Anymore questions? No? Well then, let's continue with our tour!" Lottie began walking with the rest of the tour group, but Melanie pulled her back behind one of the pillars before whispering to her.

"We should try to find that portrait, I really want to see it!" Lottie looked at her like she was insane.

"Are you out of your mind?! We would be killed by the Fire Sage's before we even figured out where it's hidden!" Lottie tried reasoning, but Melanie simply wouldn't have it.

"Lottie, I _need_ to see this painting. What if this woman is the reason there's still some Fire Nation royalty at all?! I need answers on this. Please help me?" Melanie gave her her biggest pout possible, knowing she wouldn't be able to say no. Lottie glared at her, but then sighed and gave in.

"Alright, fine. But where would we even begin to look for this painting?"

"My guess is it's either in the Dragon Bone Catacombs, or it's in the Fire Lord's actual bedroom. If it's some place secret, and she meant that much to Fire Lord Ozai, I'd be willing to bet it's in one of those places." Lottie gave a slight nod in agreement before asking her next question.

"Okay...so we check both places, then what? What if it's not there? Not only that, but you have to be a Fire bender to get into the catacombs, and I know you're a fire bender, but let's face it. You're not anywhere near ready to unlock the catacombs." Melanie glared at her, "You can glare at me all you want, Mel, but you know I'm right."

"I know but we have to at least try! It'll be worth it, I promise!" Groaning, Lottie let Melanie pull her down a corridor to try and find the Fire Lord's quarters.

 _I'm so going to regret agreeing to this..._

~O.O~O.O~

"Okay, we found the Fire Lord's room, now what? It's obviously going to be locked." Lottie said, the logical side of her brain screaming to leave. Melanie let out a huff, not bothering to respond. She quickly started glancing around. Seeing a younger guard, she got an idea.

"Lottie, go hide over there," she said while pointing to another pillar, "I have an idea. Just be quiet, and trust me." Giving her a questioning look, she shrugged and ran over behind the pillar and waited, wondering what in the world Melanie was going to do now. A few moments passed, when all of a sudden she could hear Melanie's voice echoing in the corridor.

"Excuse me, sir!" The young guard turned around, a look of shock on his face. Melanie gave him a sweet smile, "I'm so sorry to bother you. Do you speak English?" The guard merely nodded, his jaw slack staring at the woman before him. Melanie's smile never left her perfect face, "I was just wondering...do you have keys to the Fire Lord's private quarters?" The guard nodded yet again, only this time he seemed questioning, "Would you mind opening the door for me and my escort? You see, I'm a direct descendant of the royal family. And it's always been my dream to see where the Fire Lord, my family, used to live."

"I'm sorry ma'am, er...Your Majesty...but the Fire Lord's quarters are strictly prohibited! Entrance by outsiders is forbidden." Melanie pouted at him, linking her hands in front of her.

"Please? This is the only chance I'll get to see it, before I have to leave. It would mean so much to me, to know my heritage...just a quick peek? Five minutes, that's all I'm asking!" Lottie had to hand it to her, if she didn't know how Melanie's brain worked, she might've believed her. Carefully peeking around the edge of the pillar, she could see the guard's resolve slipping quickly.

"W-well...if it's really that important to you...I guess five minutes wouldn't hurt." Melanie's bright smile quickly returned to her face, and she quickly gave the guard a kiss on the cheek to show her gratitude.

"Thank you so much! We only need five minutes! Lottie!" Hearing her name, she came from around the pillar and cautiously walked towards the guard and her best friend. By Melanie's reassuring grin, she quickened her pace to meet them. "Lottie, this wonderful guard offered to let us inside the room for five minutes. So we better hurry, before we run out of time!" Lottie could only nod her understanding, still slightly amazed that the guard was actually going along with this.

The trio walked towards the large, ornate door and the guard pulled out a large ring of keys. Picking out one with an intricate design that matched the door, he unlocked the door and gave it a heavy shove to make it open about a foot. Melanie gasped and Lottie's jaw nearly hit the floor. Never have they seen such a beautiful room, or one as large. Tall, cathedral ceilings, large open windows, a worn-out bed that seemed to never end. Lottie took a few steps in and took in all the history surrounding her, the tables with random artifacts laying on them, the walls with old portraits and tapestries. Even with all these beautiful pieces of history, one thing remained perfectly obvious.

"It's not here." Lottie said with a sigh. Melanie grumbled something under her breath, while the guard had a confused expression on his face. Turning towards him, Melanie put her perfect grin back in it's place and asked her next flurry of questions.

"Do you have permission to enter the Dragon Bone Catacombs?" A nod.

"Do you know how to open the door?" Another nod.

"Will you take us there?" ...a slow nod.

Melanie gave him another kiss on the cheek, asking him to lead the way. Lottie felt bad for the poor man, because one look at his face and it was obvious he was smitten with Melanie. Who could blame him though? She had an air about her that made her hard to dislike.

They followed him for what seemed like ages, before coming to an open space, surrounded by identical pillars and hallways, with a clearing in the center and a large circular symbol on the ground.

"That's the entrance, you have to be a fire bender to open it, though." The guard said in a quiet voice, so nobody could hear them and notice their presence.

"You're a bender though, right? So you can open it." Lottie asked. The guard simply sighed and gave another nod of his head. Yup, Lottie definitely felt bad for this poor soul.

"I'll open the door for you both to go in, but you're on your own after that. I don't want to lose my job." Melanie gave him a hug, followed by a third, and final kiss on the cheek.

"You've helped us more than enough. Thank you so much, err...I didn't catch your name?" Melanie's face turned red, and Lottie smacked her forehead. The guard chuckled and opened the door to the catacombs before responding.

"Call me Kai. Good luck, I hope you learn what you need to about your family, Princess." With that, Kai bowed and quickly retreated. Melanie and Lottie shared a look, followed with a shrug before descending down into the catacombs.

~O.O~O.O~

"Mel, why in the world did I agree to this?! This place is filled with cobwebs and spiders!" Lottie was using a dragon bone to smack away all the offending cobwebs. Melanie rolled her eyes, but didn't respond right away.

"You agreed to this because you love me, and because you're just as curious as I am to see that portrait! So keep your voice down and follow me!" Melanie retorted, putting her focus back into the small flame she was trying to maintain in her palm.

"How are we even supposed to find the portrait down here? I mean these are _catacombs_ , for Christ's sake. It's just a maze of graves." Melanie groaned, tired of hearing her friend complain. She whirled around to glare at Lottie.

"Lottie, chill out! We'll find it! I don't know how to explain it, but I just have this feeling that I know where to go. And if you would be a little more patient, I could tell you that I think we're getting closer. Just trust my gut for once, would you?" Melanie let out a huff after she finished, turned back around and continued walking. Lottie pouted at her retreating figure, but giving up on fighting with her.

They walked for another ten minutes before coming to giant door, that looked like a Fire Lord carved into stone.

"I think this is it." Melanie whispered, Lottie nodded in agreement, but then spoke up.

"You need to fire bend to open it." Lottie was getting tired of everything having to opened by a fire bender. Melanie rubbed her hands together and focused her energy as much as she could. She made a small burst of flame at the door, hoping it would be enough. The door slowly unlocked itself, making a loud groan that echoed through the catacombs. The girls both covered their ears until the sounds stopped. "I think you got it." Melanie snorted, giving her a look that said 'ya think?'

The two of them slowly walked into the grave, so as not to disturb it more than they already have. In the first couple steps, it was clear this was a Fire Lord's grave, but not so clear as to whose grave. Glancing around the large room, they could see all the treasures and trinkets this person had buried with them.

"It's almost like the grave of a Pharoah." Melanie could only nod her agreement. Melanie was slowly walking around the room with her flame, when something gold on the wall caught her eye. When she turned to get a better look, she gasped from the shock.

"Oh my God...Lottie...you need to see this." Lottie turned around and walked over to her.

"What's the-" She stopped mid-sentence, unable to form words. Melanie had made the flame in her palm large enough to see what it was she was staring at. And the only thing that could be said, "...is...is that... _me_?"

"I don't know...but it looks _exactly_ like you!" Melanie was turning her head back and forth between Lottie and the painting, she thought she'd get whiplash. "Look at this, on the side of her neck...isn't that your birthmark?" Lottie went to cover the mark out of habit, the words still not able to form from her mouth. The pink spiral that covered the back of her neck and ended on the left side was an identical match to the one on the girl in the portrait.

"But that doesn't make any sense! How could that be me? I mean I was born in Georgia! In 1989!" Lottie was starting to panic, she was so confused. Melanie grabbed her forearms and held her steady.

"LOTTIE. Breathe, it's okay. Maybe you're related somehow? I mean that would have to be it, it's the only logical explanation." Lottie could only nod in agreement. Melanie, starting to worry for her friend, put her arm around her shoulders, "Come on, let's get out of here and back with our group." Lottie didn't bother to respond, too shocked by what they've found. Wanting answers, but scared to know the truth. She didn't notice them sneak out of the catacombs, or when they managed to catch up to the tour group. She only finally managed to come out of her trance when they walked into the large meditation garden.

"You okay?" Melanie's voice was laced with concern, but Lottie managed to give her a weak smile and nod.

"I'm just ready to be back at the hotel." Melanie couldn't agree more. Their little adventure had exhausted them both, and they were hardly gone more than half an hour. She felt bad, forcing her best friend to go through that, even if she didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Melanie was so focused on Lottie, she didn't notice right away how the winds suddenly grew stronger and how the thunder started rolling in the clouds. Lottie did, however. And so did the rest of their group. the tour guide, Maya, spoke over the thunder.

"Class, I think we need to return you all to the bus immediately! This storm looks like it's going to go from bad to worse! Please, hurry back to main entrance in an orderly fashion!" The thunder was getting louder, and suddenly it started pouring rain. Lottie's hair was blowing loose from her bun, and she swatted the annoying strands away.

"Mel! Grab my hand, stay close to me! We need to get out of this, I have a really bad feeling!" Lottie was practically shouting over the thunder and rain, and the students hollering at each other to move. Melanie only nodded, there wasn't any point in trying to yell over this. They were trying to make their way back to the exit of the meditation garden when a giant bolt of lightning struck, almost instantaneously followed by another loud clap of thunder.

Everything happened so quickly. Some girl, a freshman from their college, screamed in shock and crashed into Lottie, effectively knocking her and Melanie into the large turtleduck pond. She immediately apologized, and tried to help them both out as quickly as possible. Melanie crawled out first, coughing up the water in her lungs. Lottie was hurriedly trying to follow her out, slipping and sliding in the muddy pond bottom from those _damn sandals_. Just as she was about to crawl out, it happened. It was so fast nobody barely had the time to blink. The lightning struck the pond, with Lottie still in the water. She could hardly scream, or even register what had just happened, before she fainted and fell back into the water. The only thing she heard was Melanie screaming her name and people frantically calling out to her, but she couldn't respond.

Everything went black.

~O.O~O.O~

 **BOOM. Cliffhanger, you're welcomeeee. Constructive criticism is welcome, as always. Please no flames, there's no reason to be disrespectful if you don't like something. I haven't written anything in a long time, so feedback is more than welcome. And yes, the names are lame. That was the intention. They can't be majestic creatures, just two simple people. Okie dokie? I promise to try and update the other stories AT LEAST once a month! Toodles~~~**

 **xoxo,**

 **TaylorCatherine**


	2. Fire Wine

**I'm back again! Ready to get the next chapter rolling, so let's not waste any time!**

 **ONE WARNING THOUGH! I forgot to say this in the last chapter, but this story is rated M FOR A REASON. It is NOT intended for kids, it contains adult situations and lots and LOTS OF LEMONS. NOT FOR KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 17!**

 **~O.O~O.O~**

Lottie quickly came to, frantically pulling herself out of the pond. Coughing up all the water in her lungs and stomach, her hands and knees covered in a mixture of mud and grass. She was coughing constantly, trying to catch her breath. Finally collapsing on the ground, she rolled onto her side, immediately noting the rain had stopped and the breeze was much more gentle than it was a few moments ago.

"Mel..." Her voice horse, she blinked a few times, allowing her eyes the chance to adjust. Lottie slowly lifted her head, glancing around her, trying to spot her friend. "Melanie?" Lottie saw a couple of guards, and quickly called out to them, "Hey! Excuse me! Have you seen my friend?" Both of the guards stopped dead in their tracks, turning their faces towards the voice, before running towards her. Lottie looked relieved, _oh thank goodness! Maybe they can help me!_ Her thoughts quickly changed from grateful to fearful, when she noticed they had their weapons drawn. "Wh-what are you doing? Please don't hurt me! I just need to find my friend-ow! Let go of me!" Lottie's face scrunched up in pain as the one of the guards yanked her to her feet and twisted her arms behind her back. They started speaking to each other, trying to decide what to do with her.

"Should we take her to the prison?"

"No. I think the Admiral would be better."

"Idiot! Admiral Zhao is out searching for the Avatar, remember?"

"Well...what about the Fire Lord?"

"Good idea! Go get some more guards though, who knows where this witch came from." The guard nodded and ran off to find more guards. Lottie's face paled in fear, having no idea what's going on.

"Hey! If this is some kind of joke it's not funny!" The guard started pushing her body forward, forcing her to walk on shaky legs. "Seriously, whose idea was this? Will you let go of me!" Finally feeling frustrated, she started to struggle against the guard's grip.

"Hey! Stop resisting, or else you'll receive an even worse punishment for breaking into the palace!" Finding some strength, Lottie put all her energy into stomping the guard's foot as hard as she possibly could. "OW!" When he doubled over in pain, she lifted her same leg and kicked him away from her, effectively knocking him backwards. Not waiting around to be caught again, she started running as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Thank Agni for Melanie's self defense lessons!" She shouted to no one in particular, her lungs burning from running so fast. She could hear a chorus of shouts, which only made her run more. She took a moment to glance back, only to scream when she saw the guards starting to fire bend at her. _Come on legs! Now would be a good time to go FASTER!_ Her hair a complete mess, sweat pouring off her face, she turned a corner and kept running. Lottie silently swore to herself when she saw a group of guards blocking the hall, coming to a halt. Glancing around, she only saw one clear path, and given the circumstances, decided to take her chances and started running again. Following the long corridor, she could've cried when she saw it was a dead end. "Damn it!" She cursed, looking up at the beautifully ornate door in front of her, unsure where it would lead her. Taking the moment to try and breathe, she looked back and considered her options. Lottie could hear the shouts growing closer, so making a snap decision, she reached for the giant handle and yanked the door open, before quickly running inside and slamming it shut behind her. Finally having a moment to catch her breath, Lottie collapsed against the door, her head heavy and her eyes closed, calming herself down.

She almost screamed when a deep and husky voice spoke from the shadows.

"Is there any reason you've barged into my throne room, unannounced?" Lottie slowly lifted her head to finally take in the room around her, but her eyes went straight towards the center. Sitting high on a podium, surrounded by flames, sat a man with long black hair and a Fire Nation emblem above his head. Lottie's eyes widened in realization, _it can't be him...there's absolutely no logical way it could be..._

In a small whisper that seemed to echo throughout the room, she merely said his name...

"Fire Lord Ozai."

~O.O~O.O~

"You've got quite a nerve, entering the royal palace without being invited." Ozai's voice echoed off the walls, shaking Lottie to her very core. She was currently kneeling in front of the Fire Lord's podium, her hands tied behind her back and a guard on either side of her. No way to escape, "And how exactly did you manage to get into my meditation garden? None of the guards saw you enter, only that they found you there."

"...I passed out in the pond." Lottie's voice was nothing more than a mere squeak in comparison to the deep baritone voice of the Fire Lord's, "I don't really know how I got there. I-I'm not from here."

"That much is obvious. Your hair...it's very unusual. What sort of magic is that?" Ozai's voice was so confident, despite having asked a question, or rather demanding an answer.

"No magic. I was born with it." The Fire Lord gave Lottie a doubtful stare before responding.

"You're clearly not from the Earth Kingdom, or either of the Water Tribes. And there isn't the possibility you're a nomad, my grandfather crushed them all." Lottie could feel herself shake from fear. History books didn't lie, Ozai was a terrifying man. Power hungry and vengeful, he was certainly one to be feared.

"Your Majesty, what shall we do with her? You're meeting with the generals is starting soon." One of the guards spoke up, and Ozai glared at him for having the nerve to interrupt the Fire Lord.

"Hmm...what shall I do with you? After all you did commit several crimes against the Fire Nation. You cannot simply go unpunished." Lottie squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip, fighting back the urge to cry, "Take her to Lo and Lee, have her bathed and dressed and then send her to my chambers. She will surely make an exceptional concubine." Her eyes snapped open and she gasped, utterly shocked.

"What! No, I refuse! How dare you even suggest that-" Lottie was interrupted by a hand clamping over her mouth, silencing her protest.

"I did not suggest it, I ordered it. I am the Fire Lord, and my word is final." He said with a growl, causing Lottie's eyes to water. She couldn't believe what was happening. She just wanted to go home!

~O.O~O.O~

"Well, what do we have here?" One of two identical women, spoke when the guards pushed Lottie into a bathing room.

"You must be the Fire Lord's new concubine-"

"-the one with no name-"

"-and no origin." Lottie was creeped out by these two, finishing each other's sentences as if they could read the other's thoughts.

"...My...My name is Lottie." The pair of twins looked at each other, before grinning like Cheshire cats.

"We will be helping you prepare to visit the Fire Lord's chambers. Please remove your clothing and step into the bath, and when you've finished with that, please follow us to the dressing room." Lottie could only nod. Lo and Lee guided her to the large bath, steam raising off the surface of the water. She couldn't deny how inviting it looked, and her aching body could use a hot bath.

"Um...would you both mind giving me some privacy?" Lottie's face turned red, these two didn't expect her to just strip down in front of them, did they?!

"We have been informed to not let you out of our sight, Miss Law-tee. Please hurry and bathe, we must get you ready." One of the clones replied. Lottie raised an eyebrow at the butchering of her name, but she wasn't surprised by it. It was an odd name for this time, anyways. Steeling her nerves, she quickly peeled off her dress and underwear, then released what was left of her hair in the bun. Quickly stepping into the bath, she sighed as the hot water burned her flesh, her skin turning red from the heat. She could fall asleep, easily. But she fought to keep herself awake, and cupped some water in her hands, pouring it on her hair and face. Cleaning herself off as best she could, she slowly began to climb out of the water. The clones stepped forward with a large cloth, wrapping her in it to dry off.

"Now what?" Lottie asked in her small voice.

"Please follow us, Miss Law-tee." Lottie almost laughed at how they were pronouncing her name, but her mind was too focused on what she was doing. She could easily escape these two old women! But she didn't have the heart to hurt somebody so much older. Sighing, she followed them into the adjoining room, where there were five young women all waiting to assist her.

"These are your attendants, they will prepare you for the Fire Lord." Lottie didn't reply, just sat down in the chair they were all surrounding and allowed them to begin their work.

"Oh my! What an unusual hair color!" One of the girls said, there was a chorus of agreements before another spoke.

"And your eyes! They look like the ocean! Are you from the Water Tribe?" Lottie shook her head no, stating that she wasn't from anywhere they've heard of. The women talked amongst themselves while they put Lottie's hair up and rubbed scented oils on her skin. She simply sat there, lost in her own thoughts when one of the girls asked her to stand so she could be dressed. Standing on a small pedestal, the girls quickly wrapped her up in long, intricate robes. The entire process took well over an hour, and by the time they'd finished, the sun had set and the stars began to decorate the sky.

"We're finished, Miss." One of the girls spoke, pulling Lottie out of her thoughts and causing her to glance up at the tall mirror in front of her. Her eyes widened at her reflection. Lottie knew she was pretty, but now she looked completely different. Her lips were painted red and her eyes had charcoal around them, while her hair was pulled up with decorated pins and combs, with a long section left hanging with a black ribbon tied around it. Her robes hung around her arms, leaving her shoulders exposed. The robe was made from a dark red silk, with an incredibly detailed pattern stitched in gold swirling all over it.

"Now that you're prepared, please follow us to His Majesty's chambers." The clones said simultaneously. Lottie straightened her back, held her head high, and followed them down a multitude of corridors. She refused to let this bastard bring her down or break her. The clones knocked on the door to the Fire Lord's chambers, and Lottie had a sudden sense of deja vu from earlier that day when she and Melanie had convinced the guard to help them enter the room.

"You may enter." Lottie took a deep breath before putting her hand on the door and giving it a push. As she began to enter the room, the clones bowed and backed away silently. Lottie squinted to see in the dimly lit room, her eyes settling on the tall figure standing in the center. "Well, you're certainly more appealing to the eyes when you've been properly bathed." Lottie's face turned bright red, and she glared at the Fire Lord.

"I wish I could say the same." She retorted before she could even stop herself. Ozai's head snapped up, and his eyes blazed. She refused to be afraid of him though, not like earlier. If she's to find a way home, he may even be the only person who could help her. He began walking towards her, and the closer he got, the more clearly she could make out what he was wearing. A long, blood-red robe with gold trim that was loosely tied around his waist, and a pair of simple red pants.

She was so busy staring at him that she didn't notice when he was right in front of her until his hands smacked the wall on either side of her head, trapping her where she stood. She jumped at the sound, but refused to cower from him. He glared at her, his face mere inches from hers. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and it gave her butterflies in her stomach. Damn this asshole for making her feel that way.

"What in Agni makes you think, for even a moment, that you can speak to the Fire Lord in such a manner?" He sneered, searching her eyes for even a sliver of fear. Lottie simply glared back at him.

"You may be the Fire Lord, but that doesn't make you my Fire Lord." At this, Ozai stepped back and let out a bark of laughter. Lottie continued speaking, "And don't think just because you've made me your concubine means I'll actually do _anything_ with you willingly." Ozai's dry laughter stopped, and he stared at Lottie with a smirk.

"Oh you naive girl, you'll be more than willing in time. There's never been a woman who could resist the Fire Lord." Lottie snorted, but kept her eyes trained on Ozai as he walked over to a small table and poured two glasses of liquid. He brought them back over with him, and offered one to her. She stared at it, unsure what to do. "It's Fire Wine, finest in the capital." Cautiously accepting the glass, she brought the rim to her red lips and took a small sip. A tiny gasp escaped her mouth, the taste was absolutely amazing. Sweet, but then a small burning as it went down her throat. She took a few more sips, before glancing back at the Fire Lord, who was watching her every move. He offered her his hand, and she slowly accepted, following him to the lounging cushions in the middle of the room, next to a large fire place. Sitting down, Lottie watched the Fire Lord lay in the cushions, his upper half propped up by overstuffed pillows. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat.

"Why is this necessary? Why not just ship me somewhere to be a slave?" Ozai didn't seem too concerned with answering her question, he merely lounged in the opposite chair, staring into the fire. Staring at his face, waiting for some sort of reaction or reply, she let out a frustrated sigh. She stood up and took a step towards him, "Please answer me. I don't understand why I'm even-ah!" Lottie stopped mid-sentence, suddenly feeling an unimagineable ache in the pit of her stomach. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she hunched over, her face turning red and her eyes filling with tears.

"I see the wine has begun to work." Lottie's eyes grew wide, and she stared at him in disbelief.

"You-you _drugged_ me?! How dare y-ha!" She could barely speak, her breathing was laboured and uneven. Ozai lazily stood up and began to speak.

"It's very clear you aren't from here, otherwise you would know Fire Wine is an _aphrodisiac_ wine, and you wouldn't have drank it. Just where do you come from, _Lottie_?" He crouched down in front of her, put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to see his.

"Haa-nowhere you'd know. _Ozai_ ," Ozai smirked, before lifting Lottie off the ground and putting her back on the lounge chair.

"Good luck feeling better, there's only one way to relieve yourself of what you feel right now." He said while turning away from her and facing the roaring fire. Lottie mustered up the best glare she could manage, which wasn't very intimidating. The hot feeling in her stomach only grew worse, she felt like she may suffocate if it continued any longer. Squeezing her eyes as tight as she could so that she wouldn't be able to witness his reaction, she took a deep breath, which did nothing to calm her racing heart.

Giving in to her body's aching demands, she spoke in a quiet voice, "Please..."

"Please what?" Ozai had a wickedly patient smile on his face, staring at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Please make it stop. I-AH! I...beg of you!" Lottie couldn't wait anymore, she felt as if she would die. Ozai turned towards her and leaned down, his face in front of hers, their noses touching.

"Well, since you asked nicely."

~O.O~O.O~

Lottie didn't even get to form a reply, because Ozai's mouth was on hers in a heartbeat, stealing what little oxygen remained in her lungs. Lottie's eyes closed and she melted into the kiss, giving in to him, and to her desire. What choice did she really have at this moment? Tongues battling for dominance, she felt her face flush when she felt his fingers grab the edge of her robe around her shoulders and pull down, exposing her breasts. Breaking from the kiss and leaving her mouth abandoned, Ozai drug his tongue down her neck, biting the sensitive spot on her collarbone, until he was breathing on the sensitive mounds. Lottie gasped in shock when she felt Ozai's mouth latch onto her nipple, biting it and flicking it with his tongue. Her moans echoed in the room, causing Ozai to grow rock hard in his pants. Lottie knotted one of her hands in his hair, and the other was clawing at his shoulder blade, earning her a growl from the Fire Lord. Even while under the influence of the Fire Wine, Lottie had to admit that the Fire Lord knew what he was doing. Any man she'd been with in the past was a child in comparison to Ozai, as much as she hated to admit to herself.

Ozai wrapped an arm behind her back and under her knees, lifting her up like she weighed nothing, and carried her to his large bed, his mouth once again on hers. Lottie had both arms wrapped around his neck, her skin on fire everywhere that her body was touching his, and she knew it would only get hotter. Ozai climbed up the small set of stairs leading to his bed and set Lottie on the edge, sitting upright. He leaned into her, reaching behind her back to untie her obi, while Lottie put her lips to his neck and bit him, leaving a small mark.

"These stupid things, why must they be so complicated? Hold still." His gravelly voice sent shivers through her body. Suddenly feeling her back heating up, she realized he was firebending. _He was burning the fabric off her body_. The thought made her mind go numb. With the obi burned, her robe hung loosely on her body, barely shielding her from his view.

He could see the desire burning in her eyes, even if it was from the Fire Wine, it turned him on all the better. He pushed her shoulders so that she was laying on his bed, and grabbing at the robe's seams, pulled it open to expose her to him entirely. Her face flush, her breasts moving with the rise and fall of her chest, and the complete look of vulnerability made him want her more. Ozai slowly climbed on top of her, bringing his face so close to hers that she could feel the fire in his breath, he looked her in the eyes with a wicked grin.

"Tell me what you want." Her eyes widened a fraction, realizing what he was demanding. She shook her head no in protest, "Come now, _Lottie_ , you can't deny the Fire Lord. Tell me what you want-" his hand moved between her thighs, just barely hovering over her most intimate place, "-or you'll simply have to make due without my gracious assistance." Lottie stared at him like he was insane, then another wave of fire swept through her body and she groaned in frustration.

"Please just...just do it. I can't wait any longer! M-my body is burning!" Ozai let out a small chuckle, not bothering to respond to her plea. He sat up and pulled his pants down and kicked them off, before leaning back down towards Lottie, and positioning himself at her entrance.

"Don't expect me to be gentle with you. I have every intention of ripping you apart." He didn't grant her the opportunity to reply, before pushing himself inside of her tight core as quickly as he could. Lottie felt all the air leave her lungs and could see stars in her eyes, feeling him stretch her out, but giving her no time to adjust to the sudden intrusion before he was pulling himself back out almost entirely and slamming back into her. Lottie couldn't hold back her screams of pleasure, even Ozai's breathing started to become laboured. She could already feel her orgasm building, and she was fairly certain he knew, because he suddenly picked up his pace, thrusting in and out of her harder and faster. Lottie's nails dug into Ozai's back, leaving very obvious marks, but he couldn't care less. Her breathing becoming more erratic, she cried out when she reached her climax, arching her back up and gripping on his forearms like they were her anchor to Earth.

Watching her orgasm so easily almost drove him over the edge, but he refused to finish so quickly. He wanted her to beg him to stop, that she couldn't take it anymore. Reaching for her wrists, he grabbed them and held her down in place on the bed, pounding her so hard she really feared he would rip her in half. "I'm nowhere near finished with you, little Lottie." His voice sounded harsh, but it made Lottie's insides melt and turned her on more.

"I think it's time we move, don't you?" Lottie had no idea what Ozai meant, until he hoisted her in the air and carried her over to the nearest table, throwing her on top of it all while keeping his steady rhythm. Ozai grabbed her hips and pulled her into him, pushing himself inside her as deeply as he could, Lottie's moans growing louder with each thrust. Keeping a firm grip on her hips, he slammed into her as hard as he could, causing her to scream his name. He thrust in and out so much, Lottie felt her skin becoming raw from the friction.

"P-please-ah! No more-" Lottie cried out, her body starting to ache. Knowing another orgasm was coming, she felt certain she'd faint from the waves of pleasure coursing through her body. But no matter how much she begged the Fire Lord, he ignored her and started pounding harder and faster, making her lightheaded.

"I told you I was going to rip you apart, I can't go back on my word, now can I?" With one hard, final thrust Lottie was sent over the edge, and she cried out his name, her walls tightening around his stiff member, which in turn caused him to reach his own orgasm, and he buried himself deep inside her caverns, emptying his seed in her. When both their hearts had calmed down slightly, Ozai pulled himself out and pulled Lottie up so that she was sitting up on the table. He helped her tie her robes shut with the ribbon from her hair, and then helped to steady her on her feet. When she was decent and able to stand on her own, he turned away from her and reached for his own robe, shrugging it over his naked body. "You're dismissed," he walked towards a long tassel and pulled it three times, "Lo and Lee will show you to your living chambers."

Lottie just stared at him. He just did... _that..._ to her so much, but now he was going to send her away and treat it like it was nothing?! Biting her tongue to prevent her from saying anything she'd regret, she held her head high again and walked towards the door, letting herself out and not sparing the Fire Lord a second glance. Outside of his chambers, Lo and Lee were already waiting for her.

"Please follow us to your rooms, Miss Law-tee." Lottie gave a short, dry chuckle at that. The irony, out of the few people she's spoken to the only one who can pronounce her name correctly would be _him_.

Damn it all.

 **~O.O~O.O~**

 **BADABING BADABOOM. There's the next chapter! Geezus, somebody get me some water! Cause that chapter was HOT! -insert bad joke laugh here-**

 **Yes, he treated her poorly. What did you expect? She's his CONCUBINE. And like I said before, this story is in NO WAY meant for KIDS TO READ. If you thought this was bad, it's only going to get worse! Constructive criticism is, as always, welcome. No flames. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Toodles~~~~**

 **xoxo,**

 **TaylorCatherine**


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